Technology is all about staying ahead of the curve. The best way to do that is to be able to see what’s coming and how you can fit your strategy to adapt and grow with new innovations and developments.Cloud Computing is one of the biggest factors to have changed how we work, store our data and information online and connect with other people.

Yet we still need to stay ahead of the curve. Identifying trends and how we might be using the technology in the next ten years helps us to plan and invest now to make the most of developments.

1. The growth of a hybrid solution

The power of the Cloud comes from its flexibility. Expect more of a mix and match approach in the future. Customers will expect to be able to combine a private cloud server with a public server. They want a hybrid environment. It is about managing what you need and creating the solution that fits you. As Cloud Computing grows, and inevitably the Cloud term gets dropped and it just becomes computing, it will begin to define the service offered to clients, matching their needs. That will be the key that helps companies to grow as they begin to offer much more tailored solutions for clients and customers. Software as a Service means no need for infrastructure, merely defining the set-up you want and then designing it.

2. Industry set and led guidelines for security

Expect a bigger debate on how we manage data and how we share data. Security remains the major hurdle for cloud adoption. If there is to be greater understanding then they are forced to ask big questions, the most important being “what are you doing with our information?” Many cloud providers like Intrahost, focus on security, both virtual and physical, and are already addressing the issue and allaying fears. This is not happening across the board, though. Expect more industry set and led guidelines, defining what is best practice and making sure the standards to be adhered to. This will remove much of what is perceived as the risk factor. An open cloud community or offer for a company that doesn’t set down exactly how it is secure, how it protects information from virus, spam or from being stolen will be pushed out the of the industry. It will mean a safer Cloud community.

3. How are you using Big Data?

Linked in to that last point is the question of Big Data. The onus is not just on Cloud Providers but also the companies holding data. The consumer is worried about what will leak out. There is a growth in the idea about “digital showing” managing your online profile and helping customers expect more in terms of how data is stored. Increasingly this will be the focus of the service level agreements signed with providers and also the deal you sign with your own clients. That change will mean a shift in applications as well. If more people are using a hybrid solution, companies are opting for a flexible approach, they don’t necessarily want the same information to be available on both sides. Say, for example, you’re a health organisation. You have private information, stored in a private cloud. The public cloud, say, is for organising appointments but you don’t want people in public cloud to be able same access same information about you as they do in private cloud.

4. Less of a focus on cost, more on value

There is an understanding about the cost effective nature of cloud computing. But more and more that will become less of a concern. Remember when cost was all we talked about with mobiles. It’s less of a concern now. It is seen as a human right to own a mobile so cost becomes less important, or less of the focus. It’s the same with the Cloud, increasingly the discourse will move to measuring the value the cloud has, rather than how much money it saves. That will foster a changing practice, looking at how it is adopted and the impact on culture. The Cloud will become more creative.

5. More mobile access

Mobile has changed everything and more devices are on the market helping us work on the go and stay connected. As cloud take up increases expect more access and more growth in terms of where you can use it and how. Hosted Exchange has been important driver in this, a number of email aliases, linking up with mobile devices. The trend set to continue. Why? The genie is out of the bottle. We work on the go, work from tablets, laptops, collaboratively and independently. Expect the Cloud to match that and expand.